When something is described as the “Biggest Grossing Film Ever In…” I tend to worry. Not that populism isn’t bad per se, but then the US Market has as its high water mark (literally) Titanic. A thoroughly competent overblown (underwater) potboiler. Perhaps one can tell something about a society by its biggest grossing film ever. The US has class conquering love thwarted by nature disasters and hubris. If the White Star Line represents the Federal Government, and the iceberg The Wilderness then love does not conquer all, but you can survive and make yourself a better person.
What does Nightwatch say about Russia then? Um, that Russia is a bit rubbish? One thing the world was not calling out for was a Moscow version of Highlander. Without a proper ending. But that’s what we have got.
Apparently there is a secret war going on between good and evil on OUR VERY STREETS. Who knew. Except the people who made Underworld, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Neverwhere – et al EVERY FUCKING FILM THAT USES THIS PLOT. We should notice, because tornados and swarms of birds seem to hang around everywhere. Anyway there is a balance, blah blah, and good and evil have a truce, blah blah, and you just know that truce is about to end with a superpowered kid who has to be won over to the dark or light side.
None of it makes much sense, and it ends with the kid picking sides and To Be Continued… Perhaps the idea that the good guys seem more evil than the bad guys is a damnation of Russian society, perhaps its just the plot to a dour and dumb fantasy movie. But its the Biggest Grossing Russian Film of All Time, and it is rubbish.